Manchester United are eyeing upgrades to the midfield position in January and next summer amid scrutiny over the club’s existing options.
Casemiro’s contract is set to expire, Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo are out of favour, and Bruno Fernandes could again be subject of £100 million interest from the Saudi Pro League.
An overhaul is expected, and it won’t be cheap for Manchester United to fix in the short-term.
A number of players have been touted as possible signings, and one potential big name addition could be Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton.
Earlier this season The Mirror reported United will aim to sign Wharton for around £60 million.
Wharton impressed against United at the weekend, even though the Red Devils came out as 2-1 winners away at Palace.
Adam Wharton during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Manchester United at Selhurst Park in 2025 in London, England.
Photo by Shaun Brooks – CameraSport via Getty Images
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Adam Wharton playing against Albania for England.
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Adam Wharton ‘could be like Bryan Robson’
Adam Wharton has impressed for Crystal Palace ever since he made his move from Blackburn Rovers in early 2024.
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Speaking to Beyond The Back Four, former Premier League talent scout Paul Montgomery gave his view of the Manchester United target.
He gave him the highest possible praise, comparing his ability to Manchester United midfield legend Bryan Robson, an absolute icon.
Montgomery explained: “In my opinion, they have a brilliant midfield player who could be the country’s next Bryan Robson. That’s Adam Wharton.
“A player who always wants to go forward, it’s a pleasure to see [that] when you’re identifying players, I mean, he is a proper player.”
Montgomery explained how he places Wharton in the absolute top level of difference makers that any club would be fortunate to have.
“In football, you have fair players, you have good players, you have great players, but you have difference players.
“Eze was a difference player and Olise was a difference player… They are both what I would call a difference player.
“If you’re recruiting, they are a difference, they can change the game in a flash. And Wharton is coming into that category very soon.
“I think he’s a top, top player in the future.”
Did Adam Wharton’s performance justify a big move to Man United?
Infographic of Adam Wharton match stats vs Manchester United.
Infographic of Adam Wharton match stats vs Manchester United.
Wharton’s performances vs United praised
Wharton was playing his second game in four days as Palace dealt with a swift turnaround, an 8pm match in France on a Thursday followed by a 12pm match on a Sunday.
Even with this taken into account, Wharton played well, and Montgomery had positive words for the England international’s performance.
He said: “I just thought yesterday, in the first half, I thought he was superb, absolutely, head and shoulders above anything else.
“I think they would have loved to have him in their side, to be brutally truthful, because although Casemiro is a good player, he just hasn’t got the legs at the moment.
“And I think if you’re gonna beat Man United, you’ve got to go straight through the middle… they haven’t got anybody [who is] a winner. They haven’t got Roy Keane.”